Hello, everyone. Here’s NBTV-1. I’m Wang Yi. The Chinese government provides free COVID-19 vaccines (疫苗) for all Chinese people. It’s really of great help but some may still have some questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. I collected some main questions —“How does the vaccine work?”, “Are you allowed to get it? And how?” and “What do you need to do before getting it?” Now let’s ask the doctor, Mr. Zhang about it.

Wang Yi: How does the vaccine work?

Mr. Zhang: The vaccines China is now using are called “inactivated (灭活) vaccines”. There are “dead” viruses in these vaccines. They cannot cause the disease, but can show your body what the virus looks like and make you immune (免疫) to it. Studies show that China’s vaccines are 79. 34 percent effective. This means that for every 100 people who get vaccinated, about 79 people will become immune to the virus. If 79 percent of the whole population becomes immune, the possibility of COVID-19 spreading will be very low.

Wang Yi: How is the vaccine given?

Mr. Zhang: The vaccine is given by injection (注射). It’s suggested to get two periods. You should wait about two weeks after the first injection to get the second one.

Wang Yi: Can people of all ages get vaccinated?

Mr. Zhang: The vaccines have been tested among three different age groups: 3 to 17, 18 to 59, and 60 and above. The 18-to-59 age group has the most data (数据)—the vaccines have shown that it’s safe to this group. The other two groups are expected to be included soon.

Wang Yi: Thanks a lot. I have the last question…

Lots of kids don’t have perfect teeth, so don’t worry if yours aren’t straight. You might just need to see an orthodontist who will tell you if you need braces (牙箍).

Types of braces

Metal (金属的) braces are still used, but you might get braces that are the same color as your teeth instead. There are even braces that go behind your teeth where no one can see them. The wires (金属线) used in braces today are also smaller, and they can straighten your teeth faster and more easily.

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Braces straighten teeth by putting pressure on your teeth over a period of time. The wires on your braces help to move your teeth, and the rubber bands (橡皮筋) help to correct the way your teeth line up.

People wear braces for different lengths of time, but for most people it’s usually about two years.

Life with braces

Braces act like magnets (磁体) for food, so you need to keep your teeth clean. You’ll have to stay away from some foods that are problems for braces, such as popcorn and candy. Sugary sodas (苏打水) and juice can cause a problem too, because the sugar stays on your teeth and may cause tooth decay (蛀牙). Be sure to brush your teeth after meals.

French and American doctors have done an operation (手术) together in which the doctors were outside the operating room. This kind of operation is known as robotic operation.

Doctor Marescaux did the operation in an office in New York City last month, while a sixty-eight-year-old woman patient was in a hospital in Strasbourg, France.

A doctor in Strasbourg got the patient ready. He placed medical tools and a small video camera in her stomach area. Doctor Marescaux in New York watched the patient on a video screen. Then he used the computer to send messages to the robot machine.

The robot moved the tools that cut the woman’s gallbladder (胆囊) away. The woman got well soon after the operation and left the hospital two days later.

Experts say the main problem with such a robotic operation is based on high-speed telecommunications (通讯系统) between the doctor and the robot. Technology must be able to send a doctor’s order to a robot to move the tool quickly.

Experts also say a successful robotic operation will improve an operation. For example, the robot can make such smaller movements than a person can. A robot machine can turn tools in ways that a doctor’s hand cannot.

Doctors say such a robotic operation will make safer and better operations in the future. They say it will improve doctor training. It will also mean that doctors could do an operation on people in dangerous places far away. And it could mean that people could have operations done by top doctors without having to travel to the city where the doctors work.